Wednesday, 13 December 2017

Carrie Fisher Is My Princess Forever

My dear friends,

I cannot put my finger on the time and date when I fell in love with Princesses, but my childhood has been marked by two spectaclar Princesses that I will never forget: Princess Diana and Princess Leia - Carrie Fisher. As much as I have adored (and I Did, quite avidly!) Lady Di I somehow always found Carrie Fisher more touchable than her - even if she was way further physically. I never never had the courage to draw Lady Di, yet my childhood memories are filled with drawings of X-wings and R2-D2 and amazing Princess Leia in the white gown, with double buns. Princess Leia was always Carrie Fisher and Carrie was born to play that part, make it memorable for the World, for the Universe. She was and always be My Princess. Forever. Today I'm embarking on a "final journey" with her, as I set out to see "The Last Jedi". She was supposed to have Episode 9 dedicated to herself, as this one is dedicated to Luke (Mark Hamill) and "The Force Awakens" to Han Solo (Harrison Ford). When I heard the news of Carrie's passing I could not believe she was gone, The Princess of my Childhood...

Carrie Fisher was the true embodiment of free will. As Lucas also put it, she was "wise and full of hope". She was one of a kind, rare as a pearl and even though she was rough around the edges she was the natural kind that never ceases to amaze. When I look on the connection she had with everyone she worked with I cannot find a single person that would say something wrong about her. She was born and lived under the limelight, she was Royalty but at the same time you could release all censure with her and be fully natural. She was frank and true and she wore her heart on her sleeve. She had ups and downs and spoke up for women from her heart and her personal experience - she was an open book! Her books are a pleasure to read, revealing and candid and wise through the hardships that she endured. Many think that being in the limelight is fascinating and they want that, what they do not understand is the people there don't get to have a real life as everything is in the open. You will get tired of it one day! But then again... how do you get out?!

Carrie made everyone feel that the way you are is perfect; I'm bipolar - so what?! I fight with my demons. Everyone has their own demons, their own problems.

ON HER ADVICE TO YOUNG PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS: “Stay afraid but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to want to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.” —Herald Tribune Health, 2013

Carrie was the connection of many between childhood to teenage to adulthood. She once said that Star Wars is all about childhood, it's about that feeling when you were a tiny lad/lass and you were running around pretending to be the Princess who took charge - she was not saved, she would always save others! It was a never before seen image... the damsel was always in distress, the lady would always need to be helped... saved... yet she was the first to break the rules. Star Wars was and always will be, for me, a fairytale model in space. The right type, that shows the women can be powerful and they can speak their own mind - and act accordingly, getting the job done. Who wants to be Sleeping Beauty when you could be Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan?! (Even if your home planet blew up to pieces!)

Carrie was Leia and Leia was Carrie - they borrowed so much from one another, they blended so perfectly... Carrie was outspoken, fair and strong. She did lose some battles (drugs, alcohol) but I believe, with all my heart, that she won The War. The War which many people don't come out of alive and kicking - Life. She lived her life with all her heart, placed immaculately at her sleeve - for everyone to see, and she made everyone around her feel equal. I would have loved to meet her in person, her and her eternal space twin (Mark Hamill) yet she sadly passed away too quick. I would have wanted more books, more amazing interviews or her and Gary, to hear her voice, her sparkling laughter, to see her teach others how to win The War. We All Have Our Demons... We All Have Our Battles. The War. Choose always to walk on the Light Side and don't fall into Darkness - that is what she taught me... #carriefisherismyprincessforever